Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program

ABSTRACT

An image processing apparatus includes a display control unit configured to scroll a plurality of pieces of content data, a prediction unit configured to predict which content data among the plurality of pieces of content data moves from a hidden area to a display area according to a scroll display control condition controlled by the display control unit, and a decoding unit configured to decode the content data predicted by the prediction unit before the predicted content data moves to the display area.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 12/612,937, filed Nov. 5, 2009, entitled “IMAGING PROCESSINGAPPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND PROGRAM”, the content of whichis expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Further,the present application claims the benefit of priority from JapanesePatent Application No. 2008-298654, filed Nov. 21, 2008, which is alsohereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a technique to perform scroll displayof a plurality of pieces of content data.

Description of the Related Art

Recently, a playback of video contents received through a network orstored in a storage unit in high volume has been becoming a typicaltechnique according to a development of a high-speed network and anexpansion of a capacity of the storage unit such as a hard disk drive.According to the above technique, the plurality of video contents arereplayed and displayed on a screen while the video contents are scrolledon the display screen.

When the plurality of video contents are displayed on the display screenat once, according to the conventional method, an input from a user isreceived, a video content to be displayed next is determined, thedetermined video content is subjected to decoding processing, and thedecoded video content is displayed on the screen, in this order.However, since the video content to be displayed is subjected to thedecoding processing after the video content to be displayed isdetermined, such a problem arises that a delay occurs between a time atwhich the video content to be displayed is determined and a time atwhich the video content is actually displayed on the screen.

To resolve the above problem, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-OpenPublication No. 2006-66944 discusses a method by which data which has ahigh possibility to be output next, is preliminarily held in a cachememory when a plurality of video contents or thumbnail images of thevideo contents are subjected to a multi-image display on the screen. Bythe technique, the data presently being output as well as the datawithin a predetermined range preceding and subsequent to the datapresently being output is converted into output images and held as theconverted images as much as the capacity of the cache memory allowsdepending on a file management structure.

However, in the technique discussed in Japanese Patent Laid-OpenPublication No. 2006-66944, it is not possible to predict and preparethe data, which has a high possibility to be output next, when aplurality of arbitrary video contents are subjected to the multi-imagedisplay independent from the file management structure. Further, in theabove described technique, it is not possible to predict or prepare thedata, which has a high possibility to be output next, according to amoving condition of the screen when the video contents are subjected tothe multi-image display.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to predicting content data, which hasa high possibility to be displayed next according to a control conditionof scroll display and decoding the predicted content data before thepredicted content data is displayed.

According to an aspect of the present invention, an image processingapparatus includes a display control unit configured to scroll aplurality of pieces of content data, a prediction unit configured topredict which content data among the plurality of pieces of content datamoves from a hidden area to a display area according to a scroll displaycontrol condition controlled by the display control unit, and a decodingunit configured to decode the content data predicted by the predictionunit before the predicted content data moves to the display area.

According to the present invention, the content data which moves from ahidden area to a display area is predicted according to a scroll displaycontrol condition of a plurality of pieces of content data and thepredicted content data is decoded before the predicted content datamoves to the display area. Therefore, according to the present exemplaryembodiment, it is possible to predict the content data, which has a highpossibility to be displayed next according to the scroll display controlcondition, and decode the predicted content data before the predictedcontent data is displayed.

Further features and aspects of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description of exemplaryembodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of the specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments, features,and aspects of the invention and, together with the description, serveto explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a main part ofa video display unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 illustrates examples of video contents output onto a displayscreen of a display device.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating an operation of a display positionprediction unit of the video display unit shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 illustrates a graph for determining an allocation ratio.

FIG. 5 illustrates another graph for determining the allocation ratio.

FIG. 6 illustrates an initial display state of a display screen.

FIG. 7 illustrates a rotation speed and an acceleration speed of thevideo contents arranged into an annular ring shape, wherein positions ofthe video contents are determined by the display position control unitafter 0 second to 5 seconds have elapsed.

FIG. 8 illustrates a display state of a display screen 0 second afterthe video contents are displayed.

FIG. 9 illustrates a display state of a display screen 1 second afterthe video contents are displayed.

FIG. 10 illustrates a display state of a display screen 2 seconds afterthe video contents are displayed.

FIG. 11 illustrates a display state of a display screen 3 seconds afterthe video contents are displayed.

FIG. 12 illustrates a display state of a display screen 4 seconds afterthe video contents are displayed.

FIG. 13 illustrates a display state of a display screen 5 seconds afterthe display of the video contents.

FIG. 14 illustrates an allocation of a decoder with respect to each ofthe video contents after 0 second to 6 seconds have elapsed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Various exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of the inventionwill be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a main part ofa video display unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention. In FIG. 1, a video display unit 1 receives a display imageoperation notification in a display position control unit 101, receivesa video content in a decoding processing unit 104, and outputs the videocontent to a display device from a video synthesis/display unit 106. Thevideo display unit 1 has a configuration corresponding to an applicationexample of the image processing apparatus of the present invention. Thevideo content has a configuration corresponding to an applicationexample of the content data of the present invention.

The display position control unit 101 receives a content displayposition operation input from a user through a remote control, aportable terminal or the like and video content information input intothe video display unit 1, and controls locations, positions, and atraveling speed of the video contents to be subjected to a scrolldisplay. The display position control unit 101 issues to a storage unit105 an instruction to output the video contents to be displayed on thedisplay screen of the display device, and provides location informationabout the video contents to be displayed on the screen, to a videosynthesis/display unit 106. The display position control unit 101 has aconfiguration corresponding to an application example of the displaycontrol unit of the present invention.

A display position prediction unit 102 receives from the displayposition control unit 101 the total number of video contents arrangedinto an annular ring shape and a rotation speed and an accelerationspeed of a scroll display. Further, the display position prediction unit102 receives from a decoding unit-control unit 103 an extra amount ofdecoder. The display position prediction unit 102 calculates a resourceallocation ratio of the decoding processing unit 104 with respect tohidden (not displayed) video contents and provides to the decodingunit-control unit 103 with the resource allocation ratio of the decodingprocessing unit 104 with respect to the hidden video contents. Thedisplay position prediction unit 102 has a configuration correspondingto an application example of the prediction unit of the presentinvention.

The decoding unit-control unit 103 receives locating positioninformation of the video contents arranged into the annular ring shapeand video content information presently displayed on the display screenfrom the display position control unit 101. Then, the decodingunit-control unit 103 calculates a decoding resource amount to bepreferentially allocated to the video contents in the display area andprovides the display position prediction unit 102 with an extra amountof decoder. Subsequently, the decoding unit-control unit 103 receivesfrom the display position prediction unit 102 the resource allocationratio of the decoding processing unit 104 with respect to the presentlyhidden video contents. The decoding unit-control unit 103 provides thedecoding processing unit 104 with video content information to besubjected to decoding processing and a time allocation of the decodingprocessing resource of the decoding processing unit 104 with respect toeach of the video contents.

The decoding processing unit 104 receives video contents through anetwork interface (I/F). An example of a communication line to beconnected through the network I/F includes a broadband network such as atelephone line, a digital subscribe line (DSL) of a public network line,a cable television (CATV) and an optical fiber. Further, the videocontents may be input from the storage unit such as a hard disk drive(HDD) recorder and an internal memory. The decoding processing unit 104decodes each of the decode target video contents based on the videocontent information received from the decoding unit-control unit 103 andthe time allocation of the decoding processing resource, and stores thedecoded video contents in the storage unit 105. The decoding processingunit 104 has a configuration corresponding to an application example ofa decoding unit of the present invention.

The storage unit 105 holds the decoded video contents received from thedecoding processing unit 104, and outputs the decoded video contents tothe video synthesis/display unit 106 in response to an instructionreceived from the display position control unit 101.

The video synthesis/display unit 106 combines the decoded video contentsreceived from the storage unit 105 with each other on the same screenbased on the location information of the video contents on the displayscreen received from the display position control unit 101, and outputsthe combined video contents to a display device such as a liquid crystaldisplay.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of the video contents to be output to adisplay screen 200 of the display device.

Objects 1 through 8 shown in the display screen 200 are windowsdisplaying the different video contents, respectively. The windows (1through 4) in a front side of the display screen 200 show obverse sideson which the video contents are displayed. The windows (5 through 8) ina rear side of the display screen 200 show reverse sides on which thevideo contents are not displayed.

The windows arranged into the annular ring shape show movements ofrotation and acceleration and stop of the rotation when a user inputs anoperation. When the video content changes its state from the reverseside to the obverse side to be shown according to the rotation, thewindow displays the video content. On the other hand, when the videocontent changes its state from the obverse side to the reverse side tobe shown, the video content displayed on the window is no longerdisplayed. A location and a movement of the video content are controlledby the display position control unit 101 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating an operation of the display positionprediction unit 102 of the video display unit 1 shown in FIG. 1. Theoperation of the display position prediction unit 102 will be describedbelow with reference to FIG. 3.

Step S301 shows processing of the following steps S302, S303 and S304are repeated for every unit time. The unit time is a predetermined timeperiod for a unit of processing that a designer can set to an arbitraryvalue. In the present exemplary embodiment, one second corresponds toone unit time.

In step S302, the display position prediction unit 102 acquires from thedisplay position control unit 101 a rotation speed and an accelerationspeed of the scroll. The display position prediction unit 102 alsoacquires from the decoding unit-control unit 103 an extra amount ofdecoder.

In step S303, the display position prediction unit 102 calculates anevaluation formula based on values of the rotation speed and theacceleration speed obtained in step S302. The evaluation formula shows afunction of the rotation speed and the acceleration speed, which becomesan index for determining the allocation ratio of the decoding resourcecalculated in the following step S304. The evaluation formula used inthe present exemplary embodiment is shown below as formula 1.f(v, a)=v+k·a   Formula 1

In the formula 1, “v” denotes the rotation speed obtained in step S302,“a” denotes the acceleration speed obtained in step S302, and “k”denotes a positive constant that is decided by a speed with which theuser would like to make an evaluation after certain unit time haspassed. More specifically, k=1 in the present exemplary embodiment. Inother words, f (v, a) represents a speed after the “k” unit time.

In step S304, the display position prediction unit 102 uses the “f”calculated in step S303 to determine the allocation ratio of thedecoding resource for the video contents which are not displayed.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are graphs by which the allocation ratio used in thepresent exemplary embodiment is determined. “n” in FIG. 4 denotes thetotal number of the video contents arranged into the annular ring shape.“m” denotes the extra amount of decoder (processing time as a unit) .“w” in FIGS. 4 and 5 denotes a ratio for allocating the resource to avideo content in a direction coming into the display area from thehidden area (in a direction of a window 5 in the display screen 200 ofFIG. 2) while the video contents arranged into the annular ring shaperotate in a clockwise direction. Which graph of FIG. 4 or 5 is used isdetermined by a formula 2.g(v, a)=v·a   Formula 2

In the formula 2, “v” denotes the rotation speed obtained in step S302and “a” denotes the acceleration speed obtained in step S302. In theformula 2, if a value of “g” is equal to or less than 0, the rotationspeed has a vector opposite to the acceleration speed. In this case, thegraph of FIG. 4 is selected. In the graph of FIG. 4, it is predictedthat both of the hidden video contents following the present rotationdirection and the hidden video contents in the opposite rotationdirection might come into the display area when the rotation speed andthe acceleration speed have opposite vectors. If an absolute value ofthe “f” is smaller than “m/n”, the decoding resource is allocated to thehidden video contents rotating in both directions.

Alternatively, in formula 2, if a value of the “g” is equal to orgreater than 0, the rotation speed has the same vector as theacceleration speed, or either one of or both of the rotation speed andthe acceleration speed has/have 0 value(s). In this case, the graph ofFIG. 5 is selected. In the graph of FIG. 5, it is predicted to be highlypossible that the hidden video contents following the present rotationdirection might come into the display area in the future if the rotationspeed has the same vector as the acceleration speed. According to thesymbol of the “f” (future rotation direction), the decoding resource isallocated to the hidden video contents in one direction.

When the “g” is equal to or greater than 0 and “f=0”, the decodingresource is allocated equally to the hidden video contents in bothdirections since both of the “v” and the “a” is 0. As described above,the display position prediction unit 102 determines the allocation ratioof the decoding resource to the video contents according to theprediction result about the video contents which move from the hiddenarea to the display area.

When the allocation ratio of the decoding resource is determined in theabove described manner, the display position prediction unit 102 passesthe allocation ratio to the decoding unit-control unit 103.

An operation of the video display unit 1 of the present exemplaryembodiment will be described below with reference to specific numericalvalues. In the present exemplary embodiment, it is assumed that thedecoding processing unit 104 has a capacity to decode the video contentof 4.25 seconds per one second. The decoding processing unit 104predecodes the video contents in the area of not displayed data. Themaximum amount of decoded data to be stored in the storage unit 105 isthat of the unit time (1 second in the present exemplary embodiment).

FIG. 6 illustrates an initial display state of a display screen 600according to the present exemplary embodiment. In the present exemplaryembodiment, as an example case, 8 video contents are displayed so as tobe formed into the annular ring shape and the 8 video contents areassigned with numbers 1 through 8, respectively.

FIG. 7 illustrates the rotation speed and the acceleration speed of eachof the video contents arranged into the annular ring shape. Such valuesof the video contents are determined by the display position controlunit 101 after 0 second to 5 seconds have elapsed. Those values aredetermined by the user inputting an operation instruction according tothe display screen. A unit of the rotation speed is a number ofrotations/sec., and a unit of the acceleration speed is a number ofrotations/square of seconds. In both of the rotation speed and theacceleration speed, a positive direction is clockwise (a direction froma video content 2 toward a video content 1 in FIG. 6).

FIG. 8 illustrates a display state of a display screen 800, 0 secondafter starting the displayed. The operation of the video display unit 1after 0 second to 1 second have elapsed will be described below.

The resource of the decoding processing unit 104 is preferentiallyallocated to the presently displayed screen (a video content 1, a videocontent 2, a video content 3 and a video content 4 in FIG. 8). In orderto decode those vide contents for the period of unit time, the resourceof 4 seconds of the decoding processing unit 104 is allocated.Consequently, the extra amount of decoder at the time will be 0.25.

Since the rotation speed and the acceleration speed 0 second afterstarting the display are ⅛ and 0 respectively in view of FIG. 7, thegraph of FIG. 5 is selected according to the formula 2 and the “w” is 1according to the formula 1 and FIG. 5. Therefore, the extra amount ofdecoder, i.e., 0.25, is allocated to the video content 5 of FIG. 8, andthe video content 5 is decoded for 0.25 second in a time period after 0second and before 1 second have elapsed.

The decoded data of the video content 1, the video content 2, the videocontent 3 and the video content 4 in the display area are passed fromthe storage unit 105 to the video synthesis/display unit 106 immediatelyafter the decoded data are passed from the decoding processing unit 104to the storage unit 105. In the video/synthesis display unit 106, thedecoded data is subjected to video synthesis processing and thereafteroutput to the display device from the video synthesis/display unit 106.On the other hand, the decoded data of the video content 5 in the hiddenarea is passed from the decoding processing unit 104 to the storage unit105 and held in the storage unit 105 until the video content 5 moves tothe display area.

FIG. 9 illustrates a display state of a display screen 900, 1 secondafter starting the display. An operation of the video display unit 1 ina time period after 1 second and before 2 seconds have passed will bedescribed below.

The resource of the decoding processing unit 104 is preferentiallyallocated to the presently displayed screen (i.e., a video content 2, avideo content 3, a video content 4, and a video content 5 of FIG. 9).Since the video content 5 has already been decoded for 0.25 second after0 second to 1 second have passed, the video content 5 needs to befurther decoded for 0.75 second in order to display the video content 5in a time period after 1 second and before 2 seconds have passed.Therefore, in order to decode the video content 2, the video content 3,video content 4 and the video content 5 for the period of unit time, theresource of 3.75 seconds of the decoding processing unit 104 isallocated. Accordingly, the extra amount of decoder becomes 0.5 at thetime.

In view of FIG. 7, the rotation speed and the acceleration speed 1second after starting the display, are ⅛ and 0 respectively. Therefore,the graph of FIG. 5 is selected according to the formula 2, such thatthe “w” is 1 according to the formula 1 and FIG. 5. Thus, the extraamount of decoder, i.e., 0.5, is allocated to a content 6 of FIG. 9, andthus the content 6 is decoded for 0.5 second in a time period after 1second and before 2 seconds have elapsed.

Decoded data of the video content 2, the video content 3, the videocontent 4 and the video content 5 in the display area are passed fromthe storage unit 105 to the video synthesis/display unit 106 immediatelyafter the above decoded data are passed from the decoding processingunit 104 to the storage unit 105. In the video synthesis/display unit106, the decoding data is subjected to the video synthesis processing,and output from the video synthesis/display unit 106 to the displaydevice. On the other hand, the decoded data of the video content 6 inthe hidden area is passed from the decoding processing unit 104 to thestorage unit 105, and held in the storage unit 105 until the videocontent 6 moves to the display area.

FIG. 10 illustrates a display state of a display screen 1000, 2 secondsafter starting the display. An operation of the video display unit 1 ina time period after 2 seconds and before 3 seconds have elapse will bedescribed below.

The resource of the decoding processing unit 104 is preferentiallyallocated to the presently displayed screen (i.e., a video content 3, avideo content 4, a video content 5 and a video content 6 of FIG. 10).Since the video content 6 has already been decoded for 0.5 second in atime period after 1 second and before 2 seconds have elapsed, the videocontent 6 needs to be further decoded for 0.5 second in order to displaythe video content 6 in a time period after 2 seconds and before 3seconds have elapsed. Therefore, in order to decode the video content 3,the video content 4, the video content 5 and the video content 6 for aperiod of unit time, the resource of 3.5 seconds of the decodingprocessing unit 104 is allocated. Accordingly the extra amount ofdecoder is 0.75 at the time.

In view of FIG. 7, the rotation speed and the acceleration speed 2seconds after starting the display are ⅛ and −⅛ respectively, and thegraph of FIG. 4 is selected according to the formula 2. Accordingly, the“w” is 0.5 according to the formula 1 and FIG. 4. Thus, the extra amountof decoder, i.e., 0.75 is allocated. Namely, 0.375 is allocated to thevideo content 2 and the video content 7, respectively. Morespecifically, the video content 2 and the video content 7, respectively,is decoded for 0.375 second in a time period after 2 seconds and before3 seconds have elapsed.

The decoded data of the video content 3, the video content 4, the videocontent 5 and the video content 6 in the display area are passed fromthe storage unit 105 to the video synthesis/display unit 106 immediatelyafter the above decoded data are passed from the decoding processingunit 104 to the storage unit 105. In the video synthesis/display unit106, the decoded data is subjected to the video synthesis processing andoutput from the video synthesis/display unit 106 to the display device.On the other hand, the decoded data of the video content 2 and the videocontent 7 in the hidden area are passed from the decoding processingunit 104 to the storage unit 105 and held in the storage unit 105 untilthe video content 2 and the video content 7 move to the display area.

FIG. 11 illustrates a display state of a display screen 1100, 3 secondsafter starting the display. An operation of the video display unit 1 ina time period after 3 seconds and before 4 seconds will have elapsed bedescribed below.

The resource of the decoding processing unit 104 is preferentiallyallocated to the presently displayed screen (i.e., a video content 4, avideo content 5, a video content 6 and a video content 7 of FIG. 11).Since the video content 7 has already been decoded for 0.375 second in atime period after 2 seconds and before 3 seconds have elapsed, the videocontent 7 needs to be further decoded for 0.625 second in order todisplay the video content 7 in a time period after 3 seconds and before4 seconds have elapsed. Therefore, in order to decode the video content4, the video content 5, the video content 6 and the video content 7 forthe period of unit time, the resource of 3.625 seconds of the decodingprocessing unit 104 is allocated. The extra amount of decoder is 0.625at the time.

Since the rotation speed and the acceleration speed 3 seconds afterstarting the display are 0 and −⅛ respectively in view of FIG. 7, thegraph of FIG. 5 is selected according to the formula 2. Accordingly, the“w” is 0 according to the formula 1 and FIG. 5. Thus, the extra amountof decoder, i.e., 0.625, is allocated to the video content 3 of FIG. 11.The video content 3 is decoded for 0.625 second in a time period after 3seconds and before 4 seconds have elapsed.

The decoded data of the video content 4, the video content 5, the videocontent 6 and the video content 7 in the display area are passed fromthe storage unit 105 to the video synthesis/display unit 106 immediatelyafter the above decoded data are passed from the decoding processingunit 104 to the storage unit 105. In the video synthesis/display unit106, the decoded data is subjected to the video synthesis processing,and thereafter output from the video synthesis/display unit 106 to thedisplay device. On the other hand, the decoded data of the video content3 in the hidden area is passed from the decoding processing unit 104 tothe storage unit 105 and held in the storage unit 105 until the videocontent 3 moves to the display area.

FIG. 12 illustrates a display state of a display screen 1200, 4 secondsafter starting the display. An operation of the video display unit 1 ina time period after 4 seconds and before 5 seconds have elapsed isdescribed below.

The resource of the decoding processing unit 104 is preferentiallyallocated to the presently displayed screen (i.e., a video content 4, avideo content 5, a video content 6 and a video content 7 of FIG. 12). Inorder to decode these video contents for the period of unit time, theresource of 4 seconds of the decoding processing unit 104 is allocatedto these video contents. Accordingly, the extra amount of decoder is0.25 at the time.

Since the rotation speed and the acceleration speed 4 seconds afterstarting the display are −⅛ and 0 respectively, the graph of FIG. 5 isselected according to the formula 2. Accordingly, the “w” is 0 accordingto the formula 1 and FIG. 5. Thus, the extra amount of decoder, i.e.,0.25, is allocated to the video content 3 of FIG. 11. The video content3 is decoded for 0.25 second in a time period after 4 seconds and before5 seconds have elapsed. The video content 3 has already been decoded for0.625 second in a period after 3 seconds and before 4 seconds haveelapsed, which means that the video content 3 has been predecoded for atotal 0.875 second.

The decoded data of the video content 4, the video content 5, the videocontent 6 and the video content 7 in the display area are passed fromthe storage unit 105 to the video synthesis/display unit 106 immediatelyafter the above decoded data are passed from the decoding processingunit 104 to the storage unit 105. In the video synthesis/display unit106, the decoded data is subjected to the video synthesis processing,and thereafter output from the video synthesis/display unit 106 to thedisplay device. On the other hand, the decoded data of the video content3 in the hidden area is passed from the decoding processing unit 104 tothe storage unit 105, and held in the storage unit 105 until the videocontent 3 moves to the display area.

FIG. 13 illustrates a display state of a display screen 1300, 5 secondsafter starting the display. An operation of the video display unit 1 ina time period after 5 seconds and before 6 seconds have elapsed isdescribed below.

The resource of the decoding processing unit 104 is preferentiallyallocated to the presently displayed screen (i.e., a video content 3, avideo content 4, a video content 5 and a video content 6 of FIG. 13).The video content 3 has already been decoded for total 0.875 second in atime period after 3 seconds and before 4 seconds have elapsed and a timeperiod after 4 seconds and before 5 seconds elapsed, which means thatthe video content 3 needs to be further decoded for 0.125 second inorder to be displayed in a time period after 5 seconds and before 6seconds have elapsed. Therefore, in order to decode the video content 3,the video content 4, the video content 5 and the video content 6 for theperiod of unit time, the resource of 3.125 seconds of the decodingprocessing unit 104 is allocated to the above video contents for.Accordingly, the extra amount of decoder is 1.125 at the time.

In view of FIG. 7, since the rotation speed and the acceleration speedare −⅛ and 0 respectively 5 seconds after starting the display, thegraph of FIG. 5 is selected according to the formula 2. Accordingly, the“w” is 0 according to the formula 1 and FIG. 5. Thus, the extra amountof decoder, i.e., 1.125, is allocated to the video content 2 and thevideo content 1 of FIG. 13. The video content 2 has already been decodedfor 0.375 second in a time period after 2 seconds and before 3 secondshave elapsed, which means that 0.625 of the extra amount of decoder isfurther allocated to the video content 2, and thus the video content 2is decoded for 0.625 second. The remaining 0.5 of the extra amount ofdecoder is allocated to the video content 1 and thus is decoded for 0.5second.

The decoded data of the video content 3, the video content 4, the videocontent 5 and the video content 6 in the display area are passed fromthe storage unit 105 to the video synthesis/display unit 106 immediatelyafter the above decoded data are passed from the decoding processingunit 104 to the storage unit 105. In the video synthesis/display unit106, the decode data is subjected to the video synthesis processing andoutput from the video synthesis/display unit 106 to the display device.On the other hand, the decoded data of the video content 2 and the videocontent 1 in the hidden area are passed from the decoding processingunit 104 to the storage unit 105 and held in the storage unit 105 untilthe video content 2 and the video content 1 move to the display area.

Allocation of decoder with respect to each of the video contents in atime period after starting the display and before 6 seconds has elapsedwas described above. FIG. 14 illustrates the allocation of decoder withrespect to each of the video contents in a time period after 0 secondand before 6 seconds have elapsed. Sections with white background in atable of FIG. 14 represent that the contents of the sections aredisplayed at the moment, whereas the hatched sections represent that thecontents of the sections are hidden at the moment.

As described above, in the present exemplary embodiment, the videocontent which moves from the hidden area to the display area ispredicted according to the conditions of scroll display control of theplurality of video contents, and the predicted video content is decodedbefore the video content moves to the display area. Therefore, accordingto the present exemplary embodiment, the video content which has a highpossibility to be displayed next is predicted according to theconditions of scroll display control and can be subjected to thedecoding processing before the video content is displayed. Thus, thevideo content can be displayed without a delay which maybe caused by thedecoding processing, when the video content moves from the hidden areato the display area.

In the present exemplary embodiment, only the display of the contentsarranged into the annular ring shape is described. However, the presentinvention is also applicable to a display of the contents arranged intoany form as far as the display is scrolled.

The present invention is applicable to a part of a system including aplurality of devices, or is also applicable to a part of a singledevice.

Further, the present invention is not limited to the apparatus or themethod for realizing the above described exemplary embodiment.

For example, the above system or the apparatus including a computer (acentral processing unit (CPU) or a micro processing unit (MPU)) to whicha software program code is supplied in order to realize the abovedescribed exemplary embodiment is also encompassed within the spirit ofthe present invention. Further, the system or the apparatus includingthe computer which operates each of the above described various devicesaccording to the program code in order to realize the above describedexemplary embodiment is also encompassed within the spirit of thepresent invention.

In this case, the program code itself of the software realizes thefunction of the above described exemplary embodiment . In other words,the program code itself and a means for supplying the program code tothe computer, more specifically, a storage medium which stores theprogram code are also encompassed within the spirit of the presentinvention.

While the present invention has been described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of thefollowing claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all such modifications and equivalent structures andfunctions.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image processing apparatus comprising: amemory; a processor coupled to the memory which executes the following:displaying a plurality of images in a display area by scroll display;determining, based on a direction of scrolling being performed, aplurality of different decoding resources for different images which arenot being displayed in the display area; and decoding an image fordisplay in accordance with the determined decoding resources.
 2. Theimage processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprisingdetermining, based on the direction of scrolling, each amount of theplurality of different decoding resources, wherein in the decoding, theimage is decoded for display in accordance with the determined amount ofdecoding resources.
 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim1, wherein in the determining, the plurality of different decodingresources is determined based on the direction of scrolling andacceleration of scrolling being performed.
 4. The image processingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the determining, theplurality of different decoding resources is determined based on thedirection of scrolling and a speed of scrolling being performed.
 5. Theimage processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processorfurther executes calculating a prospective speed of scrolling, whereinin the determining, the plurality of different decoding resources isdetermined based on the calculated prospective speed of scrolling. 6.The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein thedecoding resources to be determined corresponds to a time period ofdecoding processing.
 7. The image processing apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein each of the plurality of images is a video content. 8.An image processing method for an image processing apparatus comprising:displaying a plurality of images in a display area by scroll display;determining, based on a direction of scrolling being performed, aplurality of different decoding resources for different images which arenot being displayed in the display area; and decoding an image fordisplay in accordance with the determined decoding resources.
 9. Theimage processing method according to claim 8, wherein in thedetermining, the plurality of different decoding resources is determinedbased on the direction of scrolling and acceleration of scrolling beingperformed.
 10. A non-transitory computer readable storage mediumcontaining computer-executable instructions that execute an imageprocessing method for an image processing apparatus, the methodcomprising: displaying a plurality of images in a display area by scrolldisplay; determining, based on a direction of scrolling being performed,a plurality of different decoding resources for different images whichare not being displayed in the display area; and decoding an image fordisplay in accordance with the determined decoding resources.
 11. Animage processing apparatus comprising: a memory; a processor coupled tothe memory which executes the following: displaying a plurality ofpieces of content data by scroll display; predicting content data whichis to be displayed in a display area among non-displayed content data ofthe plurality of pieces of content data that is not displayed in thedisplay area; determining, if scrolling is decelerated, to allocatedecoding resources to both first non-displayed content data which is ina scrolling direction from a position of content data being displayedand second non-displayed content data which is in the opposite directionof the scrolling direction from the position; and decoding the predictedcontent data based on allocated decoding resources.
 12. The imageprocessing apparatus according to claim 11, further comprisingdetermining, if scrolling is accelerated, to allocate higher amount ofdecoding resources to the first non-displayed content data than anamount of decoding resources allocated to the second non-displayedcontent data.
 13. The image processing apparatus according to claim 11,further comprising determining, if a scrolling speed is constant, toallocate corresponding amount of decoding resources to both the firstnon-displayed content data and the second non-displayed content data.14. The image processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein in thepredicting, the content data which is to be displayed in the displayarea, is predicted based on a scrolling speed and a speed ofacceleration of scrolling.
 15. An image processing method for an imageprocessing apparatus comprising: displaying a plurality of pieces ofcontent data by scroll display; predicting content data which is to bedisplayed in a display area among non-displayed content data of theplurality of pieces of content data that is not displayed in the displayarea; determining, if scrolling is decelerated, to allocate decodingresources to both first non-displayed content data which is in ascrolling direction from a position of content data being displayed andsecond non-displayed content data which is in the opposite direction ofthe scrolling direction from the position; and decoding the predictedcontent data based on allocated decoding resources according to thedetermining.
 16. A non-transitory computer readable storage mediumcontaining computer-executable instructions that execute an imageprocessing method for an image processing apparatus, the methodcomprising: displaying a plurality of pieces of content data by scrolldisplay; predicting content data which is to be displayed in a displayarea among non-displayed content data of the plurality of pieces ofcontent data that is not displayed in the display area; determining, ifscrolling is decelerated, to allocate decoding resources to both firstnon-displayed content data which is in a scrolling direction from aposition of content data being displayed and second non-displayedcontent data which is in the opposite direction of the scrollingdirection from the position; and decoding the predicted content databased on allocated decoding resources according to the determining.